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Very Sensitive Arm Pits

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone with an SM dog notice how sensitive they are under their front legs (what I call the arm pits)

Ruby has always been sensitve under there since a pup but yesterday she had a real scream day. We went for a walk and came across someone we knew- she went in for her usual fuss and as he was rubbing her belly he went for a scrumple under the leg and she really screamed.

Then we got to my parents for New Years and she went running up to my dad who went in for a cuddle and she screamed again

Then at my sisters later in the evening she went in for her usual Ruby cuddle where she gets her front paws round your neck and does a face plant but as my sister went to lift her legs off after being given a good wash she screamed again.

It seemed that yesterday was an overly sensitive day for her.

We are all very careful of where we touch Ruby and my family all know of how to pick her up so as not top hurt her but she was really bad yesterday!

Does anyone else have this issue with their Cavaliers?

Karen

Ruby - my stunning soul mate who defies the odds every dayCharlie- my angel at heart and devil at play

Riley is very sensitive under her armpits. I have learned never to pick her up that way - never ever. That's about the only time that I ever hear her scream in pain, if someone even begins to pick her up that way.

I'm sorry about Ruby. I remember picking up Ella never under her armpits. Like Riley, that was usually the only time she would yelp.

However, today I picked up Elton that way and he screamed in pain and snapped at me. I have never seen such horror or scared look as that before in my life. I knew it was from pain of some kind and not behavioral.

So to ask others, is there anything else that you can think of besides CM or SM? I have been concerned with Elton about something neurological going on CM or CM/SM, I have no idea. He has been scratching, head rubbing, licking, etc. but he also could have allergies or both.

PS. I've already contacted neurologist and working on diet changes because I do think he has allergies (red runny eyes, pink skin etc) but I KNOW allergies does not cause this yelping especially what I saw today.

I'm sorry about Ruby but I almost was going to post the same question.

However, today I picked up Elton that way and he screamed in pain and snapped at me. I have never seen such horror or scared look as that before in my life. I knew it was from pain of some kind and not behavioral.

So to ask others, is there anything else that you can think of besides CM or SM?

Of course there is something else besides CM or SM - It is an incorrect way to pick up an animal, and it's painful!!

Trivia fact - the term for that part of a dog (or human, for that matter) is axilla - plural is axillae. Hard for me to refer to an animal's "armpits" since animals don't have arms!

But my main point is that one should never, ever pick up a small animal by placing one's hands under the front legs with no support under the hindquarters. It is painful whether a dog has SM or not! People tend to try to pick up my small (7 and 9 lb) shih tzu that way, and they will cry out every time because it hurts. It is also frightening to be dangling with no support. Same with my cat; he will yowl if he is picked up that way. Ditto for my two Cavaliers. Believe me, these five animals do not all have SM.

It makes sense that a dog with SM is more sensitive in the axillary region. However, because a dog yelps when picked up incorrectly does not mean the dog has SM.

[QUOTE=Pat;409703]Of course there is something else besides CM or SM - It is an incorrect way to pick up an animal, and it's painful!!

Thank you Pat. I made the mistake of picking Bella up that way a couple of times and she yelped and I was worried that my 12 week pup had SM. Then I thought well most of her weight is below where I am holding her so it must hurt and so I began picking her up more carefully. She doesn't yelp anymore.

Getting back to the original query, which was about a Cavalier with SM being touched, not picked up, I've noticed that the air pressure in the UK has been very up and down lately - it was very high last week (1020) but is gradually getting lower this week. So that may have had something to do with Ruby's extra sensitivity. Even Oliver, who isn't usually affected by air pressure, had a difficult day when the pressure hit 1020. Hope Ruby's better today!

Holly is very sensitive under her arms ( and hind quarters). Does your Ruby do a lot of of the "air guitar" or phantom scratching. Holly is the only one here who does it on a regular basis. I've only ever seen Flash or Blitz do it a few times since owning them (They are not sensitive under there arms). This is Holly's main SM scratch. She Scratches at her Belly/Arm Pit area but only makes contact occasionally. I've assumed the scratching & Yelping if touched there were related to where is feeling pain/discomfort.